“Enslaved” killer whales sue SeaWorld

02/13/2012

Five killer whales have been named as plaintiffs in a slavery case against SeaWorld. A US judge is considering a complaint by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) which argues the animals deserve the same constitutional protection from slavery as humans. According to the BBC, it is the first time legal arguments are to be heard over whether animals should enjoy the same constitutional protections as humans - a landmark achievement for the animal rights activists. PETA claims that the killer whales are treated like slaves for being forced to live in tanks and perform daily at the SeaWorld parks in California and Florida. SeaWorld however, has dismissed the case as a waste of time.